D.C. bill criminalizes sleeping outdoors, targets homeless residents
H.R. 5163 — Clean and Managed Public Spaces Act · Filed by William Timmons (R-SC) · Introduced Sep 4, 2025 · Reported out
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What it does
This bill makes it illegal to camp on public property in Washington, D.C., punishable by a fine of up to $500, imprisonment for up to 30 days, or both. The law defines camping broadly to include erecting tents, sleeping in vehicles, laying down sleeping bags, or any use of temporary structures for sleeping on public land without permission.
Why we flagged it
The bill's operative mechanism is a criminal prohibition on sleeping outdoors on public property in D.C., framed as public-space management but functionally criminalizing homelessness and survival activities.
What the text implies
- Enforcement will likely fall disproportionately on people experiencing homelessness, creating a cycle of arrest, jail, criminal record, and reduced employment/housing prospects.
- The broad definition of 'camping' (laying down a sleeping bag, blanket, or bedding material) may criminalize brief rest or napping on public property, not just overnight encampments.
- No corresponding appropriation for shelter beds, services, or alternatives; the bill removes a visible social problem from streets without addressing its root cause.
- Criminal records from enforcement may further destabilize housing and employment for the most vulnerable population, potentially increasing long-term homelessness.
Section numbers refer to the bill text the analysis read — linked under Primary records below.
Who it affects
The bill criminalizes survival activities (sleeping outdoors) for people experiencing homelessness, converting a social condition into a criminal offense. This increases enforcement costs, jail populations, and barriers to housing stability while offering no alternative services or shelter capacity.
Named in the bill
District of Columbia, D.C. Official Code Section 22–3302, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
Where it stands
- Sep 4, 2025 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
- Sep 4, 2025 — Referred to House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform · Congress.gov: “Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform”
- Sep 10, 2025 — Markup held in committee · Congress.gov: “Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held”
- Sep 10, 2025 — Reported out of committee · Congress.gov: “Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 25 - 20”
Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.
How this was measured
Analysis — Quorum's AI read the bill text published by Congress.gov (1,157 characters) on Jul 2, 2026. Section numbers in the findings refer to that text, linked below; transparency and hidden-provision scores are compared against the median of 16,222 analysed bills.
Status and sponsors — Congress.gov's bill record — actions, committee referrals and cosponsors — loaded nightly. The timeline shows status changes, not every procedural action.
As of — page rendered 2026-10-20.
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